A 30-year-old polytechnic student, Al-Amin Mohammed, died after ingesting poison on September 17, three days after he was released from the Agodi Custodial Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State. His family said he had become withdrawn and distressed following his detention and remand over a dispute that began with an alleged N8,000 outstanding debt

According to Punch, the dispute started after Al-Amin allegedly collected N23,000 from a Point-of-Sale operator, repaid N15,000 and was left with an N8,000 balance. The operator’s apprentice allegedly took his phone over the unpaid balance, after which a confrontation occurred when Al-Amin returned to retrieve it. He was subsequently handed over to vigilantes and later taken to the Sanyo Police Division, where the matter progressed to court.

The Oyo State Police Command denied that Al-Amin was prosecuted over the N8,000 debt, saying he was charged over allegations of assault and malicious damage to an Airtel SIM-registration machine valued at N177,000. However, Punch reported that its review of the charge sheet showed discrepancies. The document allegedly listed conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace and malicious damage to an Android Itel phone valued at N177,000, while the N8,000 debt was also expressly mentioned in the second count.

A retired police officer who helped secure Al-Amin’s release, Isiaka Ayole, and legal experts cited by Punch questioned the handling of the dispute and argued that police should distinguish between investigating a genuine criminal allegation and using criminal proceedings to enforce a private debt. The police have maintained that Al-Amin’s remand resulted from his inability to immediately meet court-ordered bail conditions, while Punch’s latest report says questions remain over the conflicting accounts and the circumstances preceding his death.

“I could not bear the humiliation of being punished for an offence I did not commit.” These were Al-Amin words to Isiaka Ayole, upon bail